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If your lab is considering investing in a laboratory information management system (LIMS), you might be wondering what exactly the process looks like.
Next-generation sequencing (NGS) clinical laboratories rely on different types of software to meet their business and laboratory needs. Leading laboratories often work with experienced software consultants to make sure that each piece of software is verified and validated, and set up using the best software engineering practices, integrations, and automations.
Labs that are implementing a laboratory information management system (LIMS) generally start with “happy path” use cases. These ideal or expected workflows represent the most efficient, smoothest route to complete a task.
Busy labs collect an incredible amount of data every day. From patient and sample data and test results to information about equipment, reagents, and personnel, data is the foundation of the lab business.
Laboratory informatics is a specialized field that combines multiple disciplines to optimize operations for labs facing increasing competition and a changing technology landscape.
Spreadsheets are not always the best tool for every use case in today’s labs. When do they work, and when do they not work?
If your lab solely relies on default LIMS workflows, you’re missing out on efficiencies that could give your business a competitive advantage.
To get the best return on investment for a LIMS Implementation, you need to ensure that it’s set up to manage your lab’s entities and workflows properly.
No conversation about data is complete without also considering the ontology used.
The differences between direct and indirect system integrations.
For labs wanting to scale quickly and efficiently, we’ve identified five key factors related to lab software, particularly laboratory information management systems (LIMS), that can help you minimize the challenges and ensure a smoother ramp-up of throughput.
It’s easier and significantly more cost-effective to build in testing from the beginning of a software project rather than after the fact.
If your lab is considering investing in a laboratory information management system (LIMS), you might be wondering what exactly the process looks like.
Semaphore has developed our own software development best practices to ensure the implementation meets all the requirements. We’ve found this to be a magic mix — user and regulatory requirements built within sustainable business practices.
Investing in automated testing during the initial software build pays significant dividends over time, in terms of efficiency and efficacy, as assays evolve.
When selecting a LIMS, it’s equally important to consider the services available for the product through the vendor and/or third parties.
Once you’ve selected your laboratory information management system (LIMS), it’s time to implement it within your lab’s software environment. A critical part of this process for regulated labs is validating the LIMS and ensuring requirements traceability.
Integrating a liquid handling robot (LHR) with a laboratory information management system (LIMS) takes a collaborative effort between the lab, the LHR management software vendor, and the integration consultant.
Certification, accreditation, and federal approvals are a vital part of the business of running a clinical diagnostic lab. Your software plays a big part.
Let’s take a closer look at how software that closely matches your SOPs can help your lab reduce errors, enhance morale, and improve patient safety.
Some of the key technical challenges labs face with each type of instrument integration and how the right integrator can help you address them.
Building custom software in the clinical genomics laboratory space is a complex and challenging proposition. However, most times, it’s the only viable option for labs seeking an efficient end-to-end process.
To keep their highly skilled employees engaged and reduce human error, NGS labs need to minimize both unnecessary duplicated effort and simple repetitive tasks.
The Agile methodology is one of the most common project management methods for software development, and for good reason. Its iterative nature lends itself to an ideal build process.
A LIMS with built-in ERP functions could help you manage all the logistics of your lab, from optimizing every aspect of your workflows to delivering results to your customers, all while ensuring regulatory compliance.
For laboratory and technical leads who want to future-proof their business with a solution that is more agile, scalable, and usable, I propose considering the following actions.
Whether you build or buy your LIMS, code version control is key part of managing any complex software system.
Are you trying to decide if your lab should build its own custom software, buy off-the-shelf software (knowing you’ll inevitably have to customize it), or just keep stumbling along with Excel and paper-based tracking? The answer to this question will ultimately depend on your short- and long-term information system (informatics) strategy.
“Do we need a new laboratory information management system (LIMS) or can we make do with our current system?” This is a question we often hear from labs struggling to make their existing software do what they need.
It might come as a surprise to some laboratory managers, but a lab’s standard operating procedures (SOPs) offer software consultants key insights into the workings of your lab. They also describe how your lab software should behave—assuming they are up to date.
A standardized testing process lets you implement new changes to your informatics systems the same way every time, which enables a more reliable and repeatable flow.
Labs that are implementing a laboratory information management system (LIMS) generally start with “happy path” use cases. These ideal or expected workflows represent the most efficient, smoothest route to complete a task.
Laboratory informatics is a specialized field that combines multiple disciplines to optimize operations for labs facing increasing competition and a changing technology landscape.
